An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a confidential support service to assist employees and dependant family members with personal or work-related problems that are likely to affect the workplace. According to one major provider of EAP's, recent studies have demonstrated that between 65 and 80% of employees using the service return to work.

Most EAPs offer employees access to a range of support services such as:

• 24 hour Freephone and e-mail access
• Interactive on-line EAP service
• Telephone counselling
• Face-to-face counselling

Service providers offer employers a range of support, from promotion and marketing materials and benchmarked management information to risk assessment feedback and behavioural risk reviews.

Other complementary services that can be included in the overall EAP package include:

• Legal advice
• Lifestyle services such as child care and elder care
• Concierge services
• Bullying and harassment services
• Employee development and training
• Critical incident support
• Post-accident psychological management
• "Return to work" programmes
• Mediation and investigation
• Stress management
• Audits and surveys

Our consultants offer advice on all aspects of employee assistance programmes and undertake market reviews where appropriate.

To find out how Hewitt can help you contact us or learn more by downloading a brochure.